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My best scope is on my Browing Stainless Stalker with boss, it is a Leupold VX7L 4.4 x 18 x56
I use a Swarovski Z5 5x25 on the Browing Stainless Stalker Wssm 243
All else 243 and 7 mag try to be 3x9 leupold vx3 except Savage 22-250 currently using Nikon 6x ? Going to change the Nikon for more close in shooting scope

I picked up a Leica ER 2.5-10x42 about 3 yrs ago and it is amazing - clear, crisp, basically can see in the dark and look into the setting sun with it. Windage stopped moving when I was prepping for my WY hunt this year.

Available backup scope for my 30-06 turned out to be a VX-2. Thankfully it was an antelope hunt so low light was not a worry. Held zero very well and allowed for sub-1-inch 250 yard groups at range.

My other go-to rifle is a 357 magnum M77-357 (357 mag and it is death on SE US whitetails) has a Vortex Viper 2-7x36 - they stopped making these years ago. Great scope, has circle plex and the reticle is visible when you can't see anything behind it.

I just got a 243, will the VX-2 on it. Leica is headed in for warrantee repairs, will go back on 30-06.

My FAVORITE scope is a Leupold Vari-X II 4x12x40 AO. It's closing in on 30 years old. It has never lost zero. It's mounted low on my 7MM Rem Mag. I didn't hesitate to take it as my primary rifle on a once-in-a-lifetime bull elk hunt. I do own Vari-X III's and VX-III's. I also own a Vari-X II 3x9x40, which is an excellent scope. I did buy a Leupold VX-3 4.5x14x40 AO because I got a great deal on it. It's on one of my .270 Win rifles. But I'm considering putting a Vari-X II back on that rifle.

When I was a kid, it seemed like the Vari-X II 3x9x40 was the gold standard scope.

None of my Leupolds have ever failed me. But then again, my ~45 year-old American Made Redfield Ranger 2x7 had never failed me. Leupold's customer service is excellent. I can send my scopes in for check-ups. They're free. So far, all has been good.

My preference is 40MM objectives because I can mount them a dollar bill thickness above my rifles' barrels.

I think that buying an excellent scope is wise and buying even better binos wiser. We might look through our scopes for a few minutes each day. We'll glass for hours each day. Hence, my binos are Zeiss, which were the cost of at least three Leupold scopes.

I agree. 3x9 is perfect for nearly all North American big game hunting. I really like my Vari-X III's and VX-3's 2.5x8. I could be quite satisfied with a fixed 4x scope. While actually hunting, my variable scopes are always set on their lowest power. I have made a few very long shots, but my rule of thumb is if I have to increase my scopes power to make a shot, I ought to try to close distance.

My favorite scope is my Leupold Vari-X II 4x12x40 AO. I got a great deal on it when I bought my 7MM Rem Mag. I know it appears to be a contradiction to my favoring lower power scopes. But my 4x12 has been exceptionally reliable. I've been very lucky with it. I've killed a muley buck with it at a distance that I won't disclose. But then I was in excellent shape, and conditions were absolutely perfect. It was feeding near sundown in an open meadow, so stalking was not an option. I've killed my largest animal to date with it: a Rocky Mountain bull elk that went far better than 900 pounds. It was set on 4x.